mittelschmerz

[mit-l-shmairts]

noun

1. dull abdominal pain occurring at the time of ovulation, attributed to the presence of free blood in the peritoneal cavity from the ruptured ovarian follicle.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mittelschmerz¹

1890–95; < German, equivalent to mittel- mid-, middle + Schmerz pain

Example Sentences

In one scene Oreo grows so hungry she thinks to herself about deprivation: “It was what General Mills must go through when Betty Crocker was in mittelschmerz,” pain from ovulation.

From New York Times